I have a 1999 2500 dodge ram cummins extended cab approximately 160k miles. My mechanic says I need to replace the killer dowel pin @ a cost of about $700 (this would include replacing my water pump and flushing my radiator). Is this a problem with the 1999 diesels?--rb

 

Do a search on that topic there are kits that you can buy for alot less if you have any mechanical skills you can install yourself. I believe your year of truck falls in the years of the dreaded KDP {killer dowel pin} Hope this helps out.
Ray

 

PM Wannnadiesel he has this down to a science and can do it in no time. He is in PA.
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I thought that was only a problem on the 12 valves... I dont think its an issue after 98.5 year trucks.

 

I, too, thought the KDP issue was resolved with the 24 valve trucks

 

Basically, they used up the leftover gear covers, so even in '99 it's possible to have the KDP. Only way to know for sure is to pull the cover and look.
It's really not hard, the worst part is pulling the fan nut. I used vice grips and a 2X4, because I didn't have the proper wrench. Everything else is standard hand tools. You don't have to pull the radiator or hoses, I didn't, but it would be a little easier without them.

 

You don't even need to spend money on some kit to get the job done. Just take a piece of heavy coat-hanger wire and bend as shown ~



Then slip that boy in there. ~




Works like a champ!

 

If it has dropped out and tore everything up $700 isn't a bad deal to fix it all. If it hasn't dropped yet I can help.

 

totally agree.. hardest part of KDP job is busting loose fan clutch from hub. here's a simple to make tool, I came up with.

take two flat bar stock, drill two sets of holes and that's it. unbolt two bolts from hub, insert tool and re-bolt down. then take a 36mm wrench to bust loose. easy as pie with this tool

after you bust loose, unbolt fan from fan clutch assembly. this allows pieces to drop out of the way without removing fan shroud or radiator hoses. draining radiator is a pita!

"IMPORTANT" place 1/8in plastic foam board or double cardboard to protect radiator before going further.

rest of job is a piece of cake with fan out of the way. lots of great instructions already posted for rest of job. what I just posted is new information.

 

Buy the tst kit but don't use silicon. Buy a cover gasket for a 12v and use it.
I have seen the pins fall all the way up to late 1999's

 

99 24V you dont have to worry about it.
If there were any left over gear cases they would have been used up with the 98.5 model year.

I have never heard of a SINGLE confirmed KDP with a 24 V gear case.

I think your mechanic is misinformed or trying to take you for $$$$.

 

That's a great fix... we do the same thing to repair the "killer shaft pins" on the industrial process thermostats.

 

You don't need to bend a coat hanger or even loosen the bolt, just peen over the pin hole with a drift. The cost of containing the pin is in the replacement gasket and seal which would be very unwise not to replace after removing the cover.

I've personally seen the dowel pin crack the timing case on two '99s.

 

I have seen old style timing cases on '99 trucks with a '98 build date. I have stopped doing KDP fixes on '00's and '99's with a '99 build date.

 

that's true unless gasket comes apart undamaged.

also inspect your main shaft for grooves. if you've got grooves. depending upon mileage. reusing your old undamaged seal is same risk or less as a new seal. because new seal has to conform to grooves.

if you reuse old seal, repack old seal with white grease and clean off shaft carefully before putting back.

for shafts with grooves. proper fix is oversized seal kit with sleeve from cummins.

if seals leaks... you're going back in with an oversized seal kit anyways.